Singapore, 3 February 2025 – The SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI) proudly congratulates Dr Renzo R. Guinto on being named the inaugural recipient of the Kiyoshi Kurokawa Award, presented by the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI). The award was conferred on 1 February 2025, during HGPI’s flagship event, the Health Policy Summit 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
Established to promote innovation in health policy across the Asia-Pacific region, the Kiyoshi Kurokawa Award recognises young leaders and organisations making outstanding contributions to health policy and practice. Renzo’s selection among candidates from Australia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam underscores his pioneering work in planetary health and his transformative impact on climate-resilient healthcare systems.
Renzo, a Filipino physician and Associate Professor of Global and Planetary Health at SDGHI, joined our institute one year ago. Since then, he has been instrumental in developing courses, fostering international collaborations, and leading projects aimed at shaping health policy in the region. A global leader in planetary health, Renzo’s work focuses on the intersections of climate change, migration, and health, as well as the mental health impacts of climate change.
The selection committee highlighted Dr Guinto’s achievements in three key areas:
- Innovative research and policy advocacy – Advancing climate-resilient health systems and promoting equitable health policies.
- International leadership – Advising organisations such as the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission, WHO’s advisory group on climate and health ethics, and several Lancet Commissions.
- Education and network building – Strengthening planetary health education and fostering collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region.
Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Honorary Chairman for Life, HGPI, commented:
“Dr. Guinto’s work exemplifies the spirit of this award. As a ‘pracademic,’ he has effectively combined academic rigor with actionable policy advocacy, addressing the urgent issue of climate change. His leadership and commitment are truly inspiring.
Ryoji Noritake, Chair of HGPI, added:
“His work not only addresses pressing regional issues but also shares valuable insights with the international community, creating ripple effects across borders. We hope this award inspires future leaders and reinforces the importance of collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.”
With a career that spans advisory roles, research, and policy development, Renzo continues to significantly influence global health discourse. His contributions include:
- Establishing programmes such as the Migrant Health Programme and Philippine Migrant Health Network.
- Shaping key policy frameworks, including the World Bank’s COVID-19 and Climate-Smart Healthcare Strategy and WHO’s Global Research Agenda on Health, Migration, and Displacement.
- Advocating for decolonising global health to ensure inclusivity and equity in global health governance.
A Harvard-trained public health expert, he currently also holds visiting appointments at St Luke’s Medical Centre (Philippines) and the University of Cambridge. Among his many accolades, he was named an Obama Asia-Pacific Leader in 2019 and received the Planetary Health Innovation Award from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.
SDGHI is immensely proud of Renzo’s achievements and looks forward to supporting his continued contributions to planetary health and global health policy.
For more details, please visit the HGPI press release.